Steam-engine



(No Model.)

C. P. DEANE STEAM ENGINE.

No. 413,711. Patented 001. 29, 1889.

VUNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHARpns P. DnANjn, or srRiNeriELn,MASSACHUSETTS.;

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,711, dated October29, 1889.

Application filed February 18, 1889. Serial No. 300,218. (No model.)

TwaZZ whom it nmyconccrn: Be it known that I, CHARLES P. DEANE, of

Springield, in `the State of' l\.Iassacl1usetts,l

i `have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Engines, of thekind known as compound direct-acting, and the following` is an exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters of reference thereon, forming a part of thisspecification. f

My invention consists in anew and improved construction and arrangement,hereinafter described, of what I call a switching-valve,

with the connecting and main steam and ex- ,haust pipes and thecylinders of a compound direct-acting engine, whereby such engine (inwhich, as iswell known, the exhaust-steam from the smaller orhigh-pressure cylinder, instead of passing directly to the open air iscarried to and actuates the larger or lowpressure cylinder) may beinstantly converted into two simple engines, which, though operating inconjunction, are independent, in that each receives its steam directlyfrom the boiler and each exhausts freely to the atmosphere or to acondenser; and theobject of my invention is to provide a more simple,direct, and convenient means than hitherto attained of thus largely andimmediately increasing, when desirable, the power of such engines,whether single or duplex, the i'rnprovement being applicable to either.

Figure l is a plan view of the cylindrical shell (shown uncovered) ofthe switchingvalve and the pipeswhichconneet it with the severalsteam-cylinders and with the main steam and exhaust pipesy of a duplexcompound direct-acting engine in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 shows in plan the lower end ofthe switching-valve with its openings to interior passages for steam.Figs. Il and 5 indicate the situations in different pcsitions of thevalve kof the openings therein (sliown `in Figs. 2 and 3,) relatively tothe corresponding openings in the bottom ofthe valve-shell, which, withits openings, is shown distinctly in Fig.` 6.

I describe my invention and its mode of operation as follows: L

In Figs, l and 2 of the drawings thecylinders (partially outlined inFig. 2) of' the duplex engine indicated, as'fthey and their immediateadjuncts and mode of operation, being well4 understoodfneed no specificdescrip-l tion here, may -beconsidered' as represented by theirvalvechests'.' In the .engine here represented the shell a of theswitching-valve c is by the ltwo "pipes'b and b connected with the twosmaller' or highfpressur'e cylinders through exhaust-openings belowtheir valvechests A and A', as shown for "pipe b at m, Fig. 2, and bypipes dand d is also connected with the two larger or low-pressurecylinders through the sides shown of the valve-chestsB and B. Of the twopipes shown in section in Fig. 2, pipe t connects the said valve-shellwith the main steam-inlet e, and by branches g and g with the twosmaller or high-pressure cylinders through their valve-chests A and A',as shown, while pipe r connects the said shell with the mainexhaust-outlet lo, and bybranches z and z with the larger or lowpressurecylinders through their exhaustopenings, of which one is shown at w,Fig. 2.

The switching-valve c, Fig. 2,is a solid cylin der, except that on eachof two opposite sides a portion of it in form of a segment is removed,the cavities so made and the adjoining sides of the shell forming twochambers c and s, from each of which, as shown by dotted lines, extendsan interior separate passage u or t', through the valve to its lowerend, which, with the openin gs therein of these passages, (u and 1,) isshown by Fig. 3. f The openings of the pipes t and fr, Figs. 1 and 6, inthe bottom of the valve-shell correspond with the two similar ones inthe valve, as'shown in Fig. 3. The recess y, Fig. 6, and the smallopening 0c, Fig. 3, to a corresponding passage through the valve (shownby dotted lines, Fig. 2) allow steam to pass from pipet to thespaceabove the valve-to hold it firmly to its seat. The valve, ifdesired, may be rin gpacked, as indicated in Fig. 2, and may be moved,as shown, by a hand-wheel Z, pinion o, and sector p of a racked wheelattached to its rod q. The position of the valve as shown in Fig. 2 isthat given to it when it is desired7 as in the emergency of a tire,(where the engine is used for pumping) to greatly increase the effectivepower without change of ICO the boiler-pressure. The openings u andi inthe valve now coincide with t and r in its seat, as shown in Fig. 5.Direct steam from the boiler received through the main inlet e iscarried, not only to the smaller cylinder through branches g and g andvalve-chests A and A', but also to the larger cylinders through pipe t,passage u, and chamber s in the valve, pipes d and d', and valve-chestsB and B', while the exhaust from the smaller cylinders is now carriedthrough pipes b and b', the chamber o and passage t' in the valve, andthe pipe r to the main exhaust-outlet k, through which, by connectingbranches z and z', the exhaust-steam from the larger cylinders passes,with that from the smaller, to the atmosphere or a condenser. A movementof the valve equal to one-quarter of a revolution will immediatelyrestore to the engine its original and usual character. Communicationthrough pipes i and r will .then be out Off, as Shown by the relativepositions, Fig- 4, 0f the ,openings and 2' in the valve .and t and r inits seat. Direct steam will in the same manner as above described becarried yto .and will actuate the smaller cylinders; but theexhaust-steam therefrom will then pass, as

shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, through pipes b and b', chambers s and oin the valve, and pipes d and d to the valve-chestsB and B of the largerand (as they will then be) lowpressure cylinders, and after use thereinWill be finally exhausted through branches z and .2 and the main outletk, as before described.

I do not claim, broadlyfas novel the combination, with the cylinders andmain steam and exhaustpassages of an engine of the class described, of avalve constructed and arranged for the purpose described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a compound direct-acting steam-engine, single or duplex, thecylindrical rotary switching-valve c, constructed as shown anddescribed, and having its chambers c s and its interior passages u z'arranged as shown with reference to the ports or openings in its shell at0 and from the pipes b, d, t, and r, all substantially as and for thepurpose described.

CHARLES RDEANE. Witnesses: Y

GEo. H. DEANE, JAMES R. WELLS.

